Prologue 2 - Chang Mingyue

Xu Cheng stood momentarily stunned for a moment, then soon realized the situation at hand.

Hours past the curfew, a wounded cultivator from a righteous sect who appears to be hiding...

"Why don't you come in? you're being pursued aren't you?"

The wounded boy did not show an ounce of expression even when he was found. In fact, the moment Xu Cheng had finished his sentence, he stood up.

Xu Cheng was about to extend one of his hands to help the boy climb onto the windowsill. But as he did, the boy lightly leapt, landing cleanly besides Xu Cheng's outstretched hand.

"Pardon my intrusion" A clear voice sounded beside Xu Cheng's ear.

The boy's voice is respectful but cold and detached, a great contrast against his immature appearance.

But Xu Cheng's focus is on the little cultivator's face.

He's momentarily stunned by the view before him. If he had to describe the boy's appearance in just one word, it would be... exquisite...

Appearing as a figure from a splendid painting, pale moonlight illuminated his entire being, revealing the pair of cold silver eyes as calm as the smooth surface of lakes, framed by dark lashes. His long hair, tied high, trailed down smoothly like a pitch black waterfall. Each of his features seemed to be carved flawlessly onto the smoothest piece of jade. It's obvious that when the other's feature matures, his looks would certaintly attract bees and butterflies...

Xu Cheng backed away as the wounded boy stepped foot into his room.

Because of the parted clouds, Xu Cheng is able to take a close look at the other's feature. He knows this wasn't the time for such thoughts but...

'What's with those looks!'

'What's with that surreal face without a single hint of flaw!'

He never knew he would admire another boy's appearance to such an extent.....

While hiding this internal dialogue within, he closed the windows and made way to the door.

with his hand awkwardly scratching his head, he spoke first.

"Wait just a moment, I'll go get some help."

As Xu Cheng walked past, he felt a tug at the corners of his shirt.

"I'm grateful for the help, but there's no need."

Xu Cheng glanced at that large gaping wound on the other's waist which continues to bleed, deep enough to wonder how the other could still stand.

"No, I think you'll need some strong healing pills at least. It's natural to help a member of the righteous faction, isn't it?"

"This cut will heal within an hour." The boy said expressionlessly, as if the wound was nothing but a small scratch.

'An hour? Actual cultivators sure are different...' Xu Cheng thought as he finally let go of the door handle. 'Well, if he insists...'

And so the two stayed in the room.

While the boy found a space for him to heal against a wall, Xu Cheng simply sat beside the boy and watched him.

The little cultivator did not mind Xu Cheng. Crosslegged, eyes closed, he remained silent. Soon, his body started to emit a faint glow.

As the light grew brighter, the gaping wound of a frightening depth and length on his waist healed at a pace visible to the naked eye. Xu Cheng watched, astonished and unblinkingly at the wound which could've been life threatening to stop bleeding in just 5 minutes!

He thought that the 1 hour the other spoke of was an underestimate, who knew it's actually an overestimate! Even his father doesn't heal that quickly!

But if he had such strong healing abilities, then it is possible that he is also a direct descendant of one of the 10 legendary beasts, one with strong healing abilities. Either the phoenix, tortoise, or more likely...

The Divine Crane!

At this time, the boy finally opened his eyes. The wound is not as serious as before, so he no longer need to concentrate to maintain the healing.

Getting up, he pried open the curtains slightly and peered out. Seeing some familiar shadows darting throughout the outskirts of the manor, a sliver of killing intent flashed by his eyes.

Xu Cheng recognized that look. He sighed.

"Are those people that harmed you still out there? Since you don't want my family's help, why don't you just stay until they leave? Just take it as doing me a favor, won't you. It'll go against my conscience if I let an injured person go out in danger like this."

The boy was about to refuse when Xu Cheng grabbed the edge of his sleeve, urging him to sit back down.

After hesitating, the boy reluctantly agreed, as it would not be polite to refuse the help offered at this point.

Xu Cheng is satisfied. Grinning, he asked:

"Hey, so what's your name?"

"Chang Mingyue." The boy said cooly.

"I see, Chang Mingyue!" Xu Cheng exclaimed happily, with the tone of a curious kid seeing something interesting for the first time. "You see, I rarely have a chance to talk to a cultivator around my age-"

Chang Mingyue felt a bit discomfited by Xu Cheng's lively attitude. There's too much that had happened tonight. He would have to report back to the guild the moment he healed enough to get back to the teleportation formation. The last thing he would think to do would be to chat idly away.

Xu Cheng did not notice the other's unease at all. Any traces of sleepiness had been wiped away by the shock of a bloodied Chang Mingyue appearing from nowhere.

Now he began to chat on and on, asking about the upper realm, what the sects up there are like, how strong cultivators are, what do they eat up there.... until he realized that Chang Mingyue isn't even paying attention. The boy had closed his eyes once more, it is unknown as to what he might be pondering about.

Xu Cheng's mood suddenly dropped. Pouting, he muttered:

"You must look down on me too like the rest of them..."

"What?"The boy opened his eyes, his impassive eyes glanced at Xu Cheng beside him. "I don't think I heard you clearly."

"Hmph, don't put up such an appearance... Even since I made up my mind to not become a cultivator, everybody calls me useless, trash, wastrel, an idiot who doesn't know how to use the golden spoon in his mouth...."

Perhaps because it's late in the night and the quiet surroundings lured Xu Cheng sleepy again, but the boy's mind became quite sensitive. The little cultivator beside him spurred up some unpleasant memories, causing him to associate Chang Mingyue to the people who looked down on him due to his decision to pursue a normal life in the Lower Realm.

"I mean, what's wrong with wanting to live a life without worrying about fighting or shedding blood?... There's enough cultivators in this world even without me. Why does everyone want to become powerful so badly? I don't understand..."

Chang Mingyue had never met anyone who spill their inner thoughts out to him like this. He does not know how to console, nor did he have much intentions to. He only replied:

"I never looked down on you. What you choose is not of my concern."

The rather curt response made Xu Cheng chuckle.

"You're really unfriendly...But I definitely like you more than those two-faced idiots." And so he instantly cheered up.

Chang Mingyue went silent once more.

"Come on though, won't you at least reply just a little? Just treat it as making up for the sleep I missed won't you?"

Chang Mingyue: "Hm"

Xu Cheng smiled brightly at the response and continued.

"Hey, Chang Mingyue, How old are you?"

"..." The expressionless boy took a glance at the alarm clock near him.

"11."

Xu Cheng noticed that quick glance.

"...It can't be that today's your birthday is it?"

"En."

"I'm taking that as a yes.....but wait, what are you doing on your birthday? Shouldn't you be celebrating with your family, opening presents, and making wishes for the future? Why are you risking your life on a day to be celebrated?"

Chang Mingyue: "..."

"I guess you won't answer any long questions."

"...Do your parents know that it's your birthday? Do they not know you encountered something dangerous just now?"

Chang Mingyue finally revealed a faint reaction. A bit of melancholy showed on his face as he answered truthfully:

"They don't"

Xu Cheng suddenly realized that he went too far and smacked himself on his head before apologizing. He felt that the reason why the boy seemed so impassive is because of a strict upbringing.

"Chang Mingyue..."

"Hm?"

"My 11th birthday passed a few months ago, so I'm older than you. Do you mind if I call you....

Ah-Yue?"

Chang Mingyue: "..."

"If you don't answer, I'll take it as a yes."

As he's waiting for a reply, Xu Cheng rubbed his eyes and yawned.

For unknown reasons, Chang Mingyue really did remain silent. If not for the faint warmth beside him, Xu Cheng would have thought the other had disappeared.

"Since you didn't reply, I'll call you Ah-Yue from now on....." With this, Xu Cheng dozed up, his head leaned precisely on the other's shoulders.

Chang Mingyue jolted at this sudden weight. He was about to shake the other awake before changing his mind and retracted his hand.

He got up silently and tried to move as little as possible before carrying the sleeping boy who's even a little taller than him on his arms.

After putting Xu Cheng down on his bed and covered him with the sheet, he whispered:

"We won't meet again, so it doesn't matter what you call me."

After all, the two live in two different realms, and Chang Mingyue only descents when rare missions regarding the lower realm gets assigned to him. And even then, he has no reasons to ever visit this boy.

"But thank you."

With this, the boy turned away silently and leapt onto the windowsill. Not forgetting to close the window panes, he then landed on the flowering tree outside. Strangely, the thin branch did not waver under his weight.

Chang Mingyue no longer needs to hide behind the bright tree petals. Standing tall and straight with a demeanor that's rarely seen for his age, he appeared as a proud and elegant crane illuminated by the full moon above him.

This action attracted his pursuer's attention.

"Squad Leader, The target appeared!"

"What? he dared to show himself?"

The demonic cultivator grew a bit wary. If the other had the courage to face them, it must mean that their wounds have healed or at least mostly healed. Even so, the boy is only at Core Formation Stage, whereas his squad have the capabilities to win against a cultivator at Mid Core Shaping stage in a direct fight. This brat must be overconfident in his abilities.

"Do not fret, be wary of any tricks the brat might play. Tonight, we must take his head!"

At this time, Chang Mingyue leapt off the tallest branch, high and over the majestic gates, his long robe spread like wings as he appeared to flying in the air. Upon landing, he starts walking with a casual speed to his pursuers.

The squad of demonic cultivators took out their weapons in preparation.

But with another step, Chang Mingyue suddenly started to glow with a brilliant golden light. A sound akin to a something shattering resounded in the air, loud enough to be heard by the demonic cultivators, but not enough to disturb the ones sleeping in the manor.

"Squad leader, he.. he.. he broke through!"

"Shut up!" The squad leader yelled. "So what if he broke through? he's at Core Shaping stage now but it's only early stage! With so many people what do we need to be afraid of?"

"But... that aura...!" The subordinate wailed.

Then the wailing stopped abruptly. A thin sliver of light appeared briefly before that subordinates' head slid off cleanly from the body.

"Ahhhhh-!" Another one yelled, scurrying away quickly.

But Chang Mingyue, whose sword had suddenly appeared in his hand, made a swift cut in the air. In a split second, a muffled thump sounded, crimson blood spurted from the headless body as it too, fell down heavily.

Shivers ran through all of the remaining pursuers, but now they know they have to attack as a group to have a chance against this abnormality.

"Everyone, kill -!!!"The squad leader yelled.

But the sword's thin blade, which gleamed eerily under the moonlight moved so swiftly that once they can make out the movement, their head have already been severed.

In just a moment, half the squad had succumbed to the sword skills.

"Silence-" The boy spoke.

Just that single word put immense pressure on those cultivators as they found that they could no longer make out a single word.

It was then that the squad leader finally realized, that he's bound to fall here tonight.

"Do not disturb the ones resting in this manor any longer."

The boy's chilling voice was the last thing those cultivators heard.

.

.

.

Moments later, no more sound is heard from the surroundings, but the thick smell of blood permeated in the air.

Chang Mingyue glanced at his blood stained sword, then got rid of it with a quick slice downwards.

From his core dimension, he then pulled out a large potion bottle.

Opening the cap, he poured the substance over the numerous corpses. Moments later, those bodies had dissolved completely, including the blood it shed. Only various weapons and artifacts are left on the ground.

After moving those items into his core dimension, Chang Mingyue took one last look at the manor, then silently left into the woods.

Once the last traces of moonlit figure had faded, the area became quiet again, as though everything had been a dream.

The only remaining trace of that boys' visit came from a young boy in the manor sleeping soundly on his bed, muttering:

"Ah-Yue, talk a little more won't you?...."